Baffled By lilo

[times_r_shitty]

I just attempted, against my better judgement, to install kernel image 2.6.3-1-k7 via apt-get. After configuring /etc/lilo.conf (to the best of my limitted ability) and running lilo -v, I rebooted my computer. My computer boots first through the NT Loader (with Linux as a choice), then through lilo on the root partition of /dev/hdb. When the lilo menu came up, the menu item that I'd just included in /etc/lilo.conf was no where to be seen. I can still boot with my original vmlinuz-2.4.24-xfs kernel. However, no matter how I configure /etc/lilo.conf or how many times I run lilo or lilo -v, no other choice shows up in the lilo menu.

There is a curious entry in my /etc/lilo.conf file "install= /boot/boot-menu.b" I don't know if this is significant or not, but there is no /boot/boot-menu.b file. I changed this entry to "install=/boot/menu" with no affect.

TRS@GNUbox:/boot$ ls -a
.
..
System.map
System.map-2.4.24-xfs
System.map-2.6.3-1-k7
boot.0200
boot.0300
boot.0345
boot.0345.old
boothelp.txt
config-2.4.24-xfs
config-2.6.3-1-k7
debian.bmp
debianlilo.bmp
grub
initrd.gz
initrd.img
initrd.img-2.6.3-1-k7
knoppix-old-mbr.1077746836
map
sarge.bmp
sid.bmp
vmlinuz
vmlinuz-2.4.24-xfs
vmlinuz-2.6.3-1-k7
vmlinuz.old

This is a copy of my /etc/lilo.conf file, with the superflous comments edited out.

vga=791

lba32

boot=/dev/hdb5

root=/dev/hdb5

compact

install= /boot/boot-menu.b

map=/boot/map

delay=0

# message=/boot/bootmess.txt
prompt
timeout=1
# prompt
# single-key
# delay=100
# timeout=100

# append=""
append="hda=scsi hdb=scsi hdc=scsi hdd=scsi hde=scsi hdf=scsi hdg=scsi hdh=scsi apm=power-off nomce"

# Boot up Linux by default.
#
default=Linux

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.24-xfs
label=Linux
initrd=/boot/initrd.gz
read-only
# restricted
# alias=1

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.3-1-k7
label=Linux2.6
initrd=/boot/initrd.img-2.6.3-1-k7
read-only


# image=/vmlinuz.old
# label=LinuxOLD
# read-only
# optional
# restricted
# alias=3

# other=/dev/hda4
# label=HURD
# restricted
# alias=3

If anyone has any ideas as to why the lilo menu doesn't reflect what's in lilo-conf, I'd appreciated hearing them. Thanks

[baldyeti]

Since your first stage boot loader is the NT one, you need to copy your linux boot sector to your windows partition every time you re-run lilo. eg "dd if=/dev/hdb5 of=/mnt/hda1/linux.bs count=1", assuming hda1 is a writable windows partiton (vfat or ntfs with capture), and that linux.bs is the file to which you refer to in c:\boot.ini...

[times_r_shitty]

Since your first stage boot loader is the NT one, you need to copy your linux boot sector to your windows partition every time you re-run lilo. eg "dd if=/dev/hdb5 of=/mnt/hda1/linux.bs count=1", assuming hda1 is a writable windows partiton (vfat or ntfs with capture), and that linux.bs is the file to which you refer to in c:\boot.ini...

Thanks for the info. By the time that I'd read this, I had already horribly screwed up my Linux installation. I ended up reinstalling knoppix on the hard drive. I'm about to get new desk-top. So, I'm going to wait until then before I attempt to upgrade the kernel on this one.

[mpictor]

Try using bootpart, you won't have to copy the lilo boot code each time. Bootpart creates an image which is keyed to a particular partition, when run it loads and executes the boot code for that partition. Bootpart also adds itself to boot.ini automatically, and can tell you what partition is what.

http://winimage.com/bootpart.htm

I use it - or did, that is - WinXP died on my computer... it absolutely refuses to install again, though Debian will work fine... So yes, even more proof that, like MS says, Linux is too much of a pain in the @$$!

Mark